Rickshaw driver assaulted, police hot on culprits’ trail

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 13, 2011: An auto rickshaw driver, identified as Ravindra (45), a member of the Bajrang Dal and resident of Gurupura, was stabbed by certain unknown persons who arrived in a Maruti Omni. Rivalry is believed to be the motive for the assault on this auto rickshaw driver, who parks his vehicle at Kaikamba Junction. Currently, Ravindra is in the ICU of City Hospital.

 

 

 

A number of Bajrang Dal activists and Mangalore Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh rushed to the spot. 

Following the assault, auto rickshaw drivers forced shops to pull down their shutters and went on strike. They parked their vehicles in the middle of the road, blocking NH13 at Kaikamba Junction. The situation came under control only after the police intervened. 

The Bajpe police have registered a case. 

According to the police, four people arrived in a Maruti Omni, stabbed Ravindra, and fled from the scene. The police have tracked down the vehicle and even retrieved the weapon.
The police commissioner is quite confident that the culprits will be arrested tonight. The furious auto rickshaw drivers, who had blocked the highway, cleared the road only when the police commissioner spoke to them and assured them that the culprits will be caught at the earliest possible. 

Although a few shops raised their shutters after the police commissioner left, another group arrived and forced them to pull down their shutters again. 

Reliable sources stated that the culprits have been shadowing Ravindra for the past 15 days. Although the driver has been involved in quarrels, he is not associated with anything serious.